100 Best Short Road Trips

One of the great ways to see the United States is by car, which affords a closer relationship to the country's varied geography and features. "Road trips" are a long tradition, and family driving vacations are more popular than ever.

Why Not Take a Tankation?

High diesel and gas prices, and concern for the environment, are leading many people to take shorter road trips. Many people now take a "tankation", which means they can vacation anywhere within the distance that one tank of gas will get them. You can plot your tankation out on a map by using a string or drawing a circle that is about one tankful from your house. (Or half a tank, if you are really serious--that way you can get back home without filling up!) Explore the local treasures near your home--you might discover some hidden gems in your local region.

Here are the best short drives for traveling our scenic routes. If you live near one of them, you can have a great vacation (even a tankation) without breaking the bank, or adding too many emissions to the air. We've broken them down by region, because there are so many fun drives!

South

From Alabama to West Virginia, the Rio Grande to the Mississippi, from Gulf Coast palm trees to the Texas desert--southern hospitality has it all! See swamps, forests, rivers, mountains, sand dunes, hot springs, crystal mines, and worms that glow in the dark. >> Southern Road Trips

Midwest

From Illinois to Wisconsin, Kansas to Ohio, the Midwest invites you. See the Black Hills, wine country, prairie buffalo, canyons, waterfalls, and 5,000 caves. Enjoy horseback riding in the badlands, homemade Amish pies, historical Mount Rushmore, camping in forests, and learning about aboriginal history. >> Midwest Road Trips

West

From Alaska to Wyoming, Arizona's Painted Desert to Washington's hot springs overlooking glacial lakes--the West is spectacular! Try the River Bottom Saloon, the Petrified Forest, giant sequoias and redwoods, and a 1,500-foot cliff. See petroglyphs, giant waterfalls, snow-capped mountains--even lava tubes! >> Western Road Trips

Northeast

From Connecticut to Vermont, Maine to New York, the Northeast offers variety. See stores, villages, and bridges from the 1800s, and baby seals, whales, and dolphins born last spring! From 200 million-year-old dinosaur tracks, to sites and museums from U.S. history, to bucolic rural scenery--you'll want to come back for more. >> Northeastern Road Trips

*** And don't miss these:

• Four hot summer drives--one each from the Northeast, the Southeast, the Midwest, and the Pacific Coast.

• Family vacations: yesterday and today.